“Lights over Yukon”

All-Inclusive Aurora Photo tour – 5 nights

Nothing else in the sky looks quite like the Northern Lights. The sun and the moon, the stars and the planets are an eternal, regular and predictable part of human life. The Northern Lights, on the other hand, are transient, variable and unpredictable. Here the cosmos parades its electrical and magnetic forces, and produces colours and movements that are unique in nature. The Aurora Borealis must be seen and experienced outdoors, under a still and cold Yukon winter sky. Join us for an unforgettable and exclusive 5 nights / 6 days photography trip to capture spectacular photos of the elusive Northern Lights dancing above the surreal landscape in the wilderness of the Yukon.

You will arrive in Whitehorse and be picked up at the airport and shuttled to your accommodation at the Northern Lights Resort and Spa, 20 minutes outside Whitehorse. Once everyone has arrived, we will get together and welcome everyone and do a quick equipment check. After that, Wolfgang will give a quick workshop on photographing the Northern Lights and some of the other scenes we will be experiencing on this photo trip. We will have dinner and if the conditions are right, we will get to see and photograph the Aurora that evening just outside from your cozy cabin at the Resort.

Day 2

We start the day with an early breakfast and we depart for Kluane National Park. On the way to Kluane we will stop often to catch the sunrise and take photos of the winter landscape. In Kluane we will set up our cameras on several well chosen locations to capture the stunning beauty and wilderness of the Kluane Country. Overnight accommodation and dinner in Haines Junction, after dinner we will get out again to some carefully chosen locations for the Northern Lights shooting.

Day 3

We will spend the morning with shooting the breathtaking beauty of the Kluane Mountains at sunrise and after a lunch and coffee stop in Haines Junction, we will be on the road for the 2 hour drive back to Whitehorse where we arrive at the Resort in the afternoon. After dinner and if the sky is clear, we will get to see and photograph the Aurora that evening just outside from your cozy cabin at the Resort.

Day 4

This will be a day for optional winter activities like dog sledding, snowmobiling or Ice Fishing or to explore Whitehorse on your own. The “Wilderness City” has many attractions and a special charm and is well worth spending a few hours exploring with your camera. After dinner and if the sky is clear we will head out to shoot the Aurora this night at well selected locations in the Southern Lakes area. Return to the Resort around 2am

Day 5

We start the day with a late breakfast and then we will visit the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. After some days photographing the Yukon Landscapes where many of the animals in the preserve live in. If we were not lucky enough to see these animals in the wild, we want to give you the opportunity to photograph them in a smaller wilderness environment. You will have the best opportunity to photograph, Moose, Lynx, Arctic Foxes, Caribous, Elk, Bison, Thinhorn Sheep, Mountain Goats and Mule Deer. There will be time to visit the Takhini Hot Springs after the Wildlife Preserve to soak in the hot pools. We return to the Resort in the afternoon and then will try our luck again after dinner to capture the elusive Aurora Borealis with our cameras.

Day 6

We gather together for breakfast, discuss our experiences and depart for the airport.

Important Trip Notes

Average temperatures at this time of winter range between 5° and – 15° Celsius (41 to 5 Fahrenheit), but extreme temperatures can reach as low as -20° Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit). It is very important to bring adequate clothing to withstand these temperatures. Upon request you can rent special winter clothes packages for this trip (please ask for a quote and book well in advance).

We provide all necessary emergency equipment for traveling in winter conditions.

On this tour there is a possibility that there may be last-minute changes to the itinerary due to the nature of the excursion and the winter road conditions. We may experience unforeseen delays due to weather or other reasons. We certainly will do our best to provide an alternate program of equivalent importance and of a similar nature if needed.

You will be required to sign a ‘release of claims and waiver of liability’ form at the time of booking.

What skill level is required?

This photography experience is suitable for photographers of every level of experience. However, before you come, make sure you are comfortable operating all your gear outdoors and at night. We will be focussed on inspiration and the creation of compelling imagery rather than on instruction of digital photography. We also recommend having good knowledge of digital photo processing software such as Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop or similar. You should know how to use your camera on manual mode. You should understand how to change your ISO settings, aperture, shutter speed and know how to read the light meter in your camera. You should know how to shoot exposures of a few seconds long or more. You will receive detailed insights and instruction on each shoot. You will be helped with your shot setup where necessary and a discussion of your settings will be explored during each shoot.

Fitness rating and difficulty?

We will be driving close to all shooting locations, however, there is some walking necessary and you should feel comfortable walking with your camera equipment in backcountry situations and on uneven or potentially slippery surface.

The individual, company or travel agency responsible for the booking of an individual reservation must secure payment with a Visa or MasterCard at the time of booking. American Express Cards require a 2% surcharge of the booking costs.

The following is required at the time of booking:

• 50% deposit (see terms of refund of deposit under the “Cancellation and Refund Policy” section
• Registration and Waiver Forms
• Terms and Conditions Form

The balance of all monies due (after deposit) must be paid 91 days prior to the photo trip The trip price is based on per person sharing; single supplement is available.

We strongly suggest that all of our participants consider the purchase of travel insurance for protection against cancelation penalties.

All Rates are in Canadian dollars and subject to 5% GST.

Cancellation and Refund Policy:

Northern Lights Resort & SPA and Yukon Photo Tours cannot be held responsible for delays caused by Acts of God, strikes, weather, aircraft delays or other causes beyond its reasonable control. Yukon Photo Tours will endeavour to provide all services as shown in the Photo Tour description, however all activities are subject to weather conditions and may be cancelled, postponed or changed at the sole discretion of Northern Lights Resort & SPA or Yukon Photo Tours or its guide or instructor. In case of force majeure such as flight cancellations or delays, travel disruptions, weather delays or a force beyond its control Northern Lights Resort & SPA or Yukon Photo Tours is not liable to refund any moneys paid.

Terms if you cancel:

If cancellation is received up to 91 days before departure and your spot is occupied by another participant, you may receive a full refund, less a $100 administration fee. If you cancel less than 91 days before the date of the photo tour and your space can not be filled with another participant, you will not receive a refund.

Cancellations must be made by email or regular mail only and has to be confirmed by Northern Lights Resort & SPA or Yukon Photo Tours in writing! Cancelations made by telephone will NOT be accepted.

Terms if we cancel:

Should there be insufficient bookings to make this trip economically viable, we will unfortunately cancel the trip. If Northern Lights Resort & SPA or Yukon Photo Tours cancels the trip, all monies pertaining to the photo trip (excluding other arrangements made e.g. flight tickets) made to Northern Lights Resort & SPA or Yukon Photo Tours will be refunded in full. Notice of trip cancellation will be given no less than 90 days before the start of the trip.